Bhubaneswar, Nov 15: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday laid the foundation stones for various projects worth Rs 1,535 crore for tribal development.

The Chief Minister also launched a portal on the Forest Rights Act as the state celebrated 'Jana Jatiya Gourav Divas' on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda.

CM Majhi also distributed habitat rights titles to seven Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) at a function held at Janata Maidan here.

Addressing the programme, CM Majhi said tribals constitute 23 per cent of Odisha's population. He said people belonging to 64 tribes and 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) live in the state.

“We have launched projects aiming development of the 23 per cent of the population,” he said.

As part of the Jan Jatiya Gourav Divas celebration, the state government has organised gram sabhas in 7,667-gram panchayats to take the opinion of the tribal people before implementation of the Panchayats Extension of Scheduled Areas) Act, the chief minister said.

CM Majhi also laid the foundation stones for a range of transformative projects, including the Janajati Heritage and Pride Building, the Janajati Language and Culture Institute. These projects also include upgradation of schools, primary school hostels, and the State Tribal Museum, an official statement said.